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US 8,893,845 B2Granted
Multi-stage brake pedal linkage
AssigneeNMHG Oregon, LLC
InventorsEdmund Stilwell, Duane C. Richards
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A brake assembly includes an operator brake pedal configured to be depressed at a brake pedal angle, and brake pedal linkage operatively connected to the operator brake pedal. The brake pedal linkage is configured to apply a braking force in response to the depression of the operator brake pedal. A brake pedal effort input is associated with the brake pedal angle, and a first rate of change of the brake pedal effort input with respect to the brake pedal angle may be associated with an initial range of motion of the operator brake pedal. A second rate of change of the brake pedal effort input with respect to the brake pedal angle may be associated with a subsequent range of motion of the operator brake pedal. The second rate of change may be greater than the first rate of change.
Claims19
A brake assembly, comprising:
- an operator brake pedal configured to be depressed at a brake pedal angle, wherein a resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal corresponds to the brake pedal angle;
- and
- a brake pedal linkage operatively connected to the operator brake pedal and configured to apply a vehicle braking force in response to depression of the operator brake pedal, wherein the brake pedal linkage is configured to affect a first rate of change of the resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal through an initial range of motion of the operator brake pedal, wherein the brake pedal linkage is further configured to affect a second rate of change of the resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal through a subsequent range of motion of the operator brake pedal, and wherein the second rate of change is greater than the first rate of change;
- wherein the brake pedal angle relates to an effective radius of rotation of the brake pedal linkage, wherein the initial range of motion affects an initial rate of change of the effective radius, wherein the subsequent range of motion affects a subsequent rate of change of the effective radius, and wherein the subsequent rate of change of the effective radius is greater than the initial rate of change of the effective radius.
1 more element
A brake assembly, comprising:
- an operator brake pedal configured to be depressed at a brake pedal angle, wherein a resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal corresponds to the brake pedal angle;
- and
- a brake pedal linkage operatively connected to the operator brake pedal and configured to apply a vehicle braking force in response to depression of the operator brake pedal, wherein the brake pedal linkage is configured to affect a first rate of change of the resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal through an initial range of motion of the operator brake pedal, wherein the first rate of change corresponds to a negative mathematical slope, wherein the brake pedal linkage is further configured to affect a second rate of change of the resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal through a subsequent range of motion of the operator brake pedal, and wherein the second rate of change corresponds to a positive mathematical slope.
A brake assembly, comprising:
- an operator brake pedal configured to be depressed at a brake pedal angle, wherein a resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal corresponds to the brake pedal angle;
- and
- a brake pedal linkage operatively connected to the operator brake pedal and configured to apply a vehicle braking force in response to depression of the operator brake pedal, wherein the brake pedal linkage is configured to affect a first rate of change of the resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal through an initial range of motion of the operator brake pedal, wherein the brake pedal linkage is further configured to affect a second rate of change of the resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal through a subsequent range of motion of the operator brake pedal, and wherein the second rate of change is greater than the first rate of change;
- wherein a rate of change of the resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal with respect to the vehicle braking force is substantially linear in the initial range of motion and is non-linear in the subsequent range of motion.
1 more element
A brake assembly, comprising:
- an operator brake pedal configured to be depressed at a brake pedal angle, wherein a resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal corresponds to the brake pedal angle;
- and
- a brake pedal linkage operatively connected to the operator brake pedal and configured to apply a vehicle braking force in response to depression of the operator brake pedal, wherein the brake pedal linkage is configured to affect a first rate of change of the resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal through an initial range of motion of the operator brake pedal, wherein the brake pedal linkage is further configured to affect a second rate of change of the resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal through a subsequent range of motion of the operator brake pedal, and wherein the second rate of change is greater than the first rate of change;
- wherein the brake pedal linkage comprises:
- a brake arm configured to rotate about a first pivot;
- a primary link configured to contact the brake arm in response to the depression of the operator brake pedal;
- and
- a secondary link pivotally connected to the primary link by a second pivot, wherein a first effective radius and a second effective radius identifies a distance between the second pivot and the first pivot offset from an axial centerline of the secondary link.
5 more elements
A brake assembly, comprising:
- braking means for providing brake actuation responsive to a braking force input provided by an operator;
- brake linkage means for applying a braking force output in response to depression of the braking means, wherein depression of the braking means within an initial range of motion of the braking means affects a first rate of change of an effective radius of the brake linkage means, wherein depression of the braking means within a subsequent range of motion of the braking means affects a second rate of change of the effective radius of the brake linkage means, wherein the second rate of change is greater than the first rate of change, and wherein the effective radius corresponds to a resistance to depression of the braking means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.